Those Damn Atheist Bullies!

The Western Center for Journalism was founded by the Worldnutdaily’s Joseph Farah, so it comes as no surprise that rationality and objectivity continue to elude them. This article by B. Christopher Agee is a perfect example. “Atheist bullies force school to cancel graduation,” the headline blares.

The godless extremists in the Freedom From Religion Foundation are notoriously unsatisfied with the extent to which faith has already been relegated in our society…

One of the group’s most recent targets is the Riverside School District in Arkansas – specifically, a sixth-grade graduation event that typically features a prayer involving students.

Superintendent Tommy Knight said that he and the school board decided to cancel the ceremony at a recent meeting, which included a number of upset parents in attendance.

Kelly Adams, one such concerned parent, said she thinks that “there were a lot of people hurt that our rights were taken away.”

Logic, thou art a fickle muse. The graduation was canceled by the Christians on the school board, not atheists. They could have held the graduation without forcing every student to sit through their religious exercises, but they chose not to. It was more important to them to be able to impose their religious beliefs on others than it was to hold the graduation. Who are the bullies here, exactly?

If cancelling the invocation means cancelling the graduation, then the ceremony clearly is intended as a celebration of religious, not academic achievement. Though commemorating a transition as trivial as entering 7th grade is absurd.

Thorne

It’s more likely a graduation from a grammar school (K – 6) to a middle school (7-9). A valid reason for a ceremony, I suppose, unless you aren’t allowed to praise your invisible god.

You watch. Those parents who are upset will rent a hall and have a private ceremony. And all the ministers and preachers will show up to put those damn atheists in their place.

Sadly, it would be perfectly legal….

Draken

Ugh, I read some of the comments. Fortunately there are some who point out the issue, but the rest…

dingojack

“Superintendent Tommy Knight said that he and the school board decided to cancel the ceremony at a recent meeting, which included a number of upset parents in attendance”.

Why did the recent meeting also include this ceremony? And why did this ceremony include a number of upset parents as attendants?

And what of the ceremony at the graduation, will it be canceled too, dissatisfied, upset parents and all?

Dingo

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Since the right seems to like to characterise atheists as being grumpy, bad-tempered or angry, I think they mean dissatisfied rather than unsatisfied. Indeed, as we are winning the struggle to pull the world into the 21st century, I think we are well and truly being satisfied. It’s those who want to return to the theocratic ways of the past who are both dissatisfied and unsatisfied as shown in the leader.

“It was more important to them to be able to impose their religious beliefs on others than it was to hold the graduation.”

Oh, come on! You force us Real Americans® to sit beside you as you not-pray day after day, but when We get a small window of opportunity to share with you that you don’t belong, you blow your Athiest stacks?

We’ve already compromised; if you don’t want to pray, you can leave. How much more compromising do you people want? Think of the children!

twincats

Superintendent Tommy Knight said that he and the school board decided to cancel the ceremony at a recent meeting, which included a number of upset parents in attendance.

I’ve started calling this the argument from “LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!” and I started seeing through it at about age 8. My mom called it cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Can someone in Arkansas explain Baccalaureate Service to the Riverside School District? Also, point out the largest church in town that parents in the district can use to have one for the sixth graders. Thank you.